DIY Essential Oil Reed Diffuser

My candle collection is no more…

Well, I still have a few candles hanging around. (Like the DIY Tallow Candles I made last week…), but the massive collection of artificially-scented candles in every imaginable size and shape?

They’re gone.

They’ve actually been gone for a while now. Ever since I started my love affair with essential oils, I’ve gradually lost my tolerance for artificial fragrances. And I’ve replaced it with something else instead:

An obsession love for diffusers.

Like I’ve mentioned before, I have multiple essential oil diffusers all over my house, and I run them a LOT. Diffusing essential oils can help to deodorize your home, lift your mood, purify the air, and just make things smell pretty darn awesome.

(If you want the full story on which diffusers I have and like best, check out my essential oil diffuser review post)

 

Fireless Aromatherapy Home Bedroom Lavender Dry Flower Set Toilet Toilet Smokeless Essential Oil

 

However, if you aren’t quite ready to invest in a diffuser, OR you need an off-grid option, I’m excited to share this simple tutorial for DIY essential oil reed diffusers with you today.

DIY Essential Oil Reed Diffusers

You will need: 

• A glass container with a narrow opening (check thrift stores)
• 4-5 reed diffuser sticks (these are the ones I bought) OR bamboo skewers
• 1/4 cup carrier oil (I recommend lighter oils such as fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or safflower oil.)
• 20-25 drops of essential oil(s) (these are the essential oils I LOVE)

Instructions:

Mix the essential oils and carrier oil together in the glass container.

Place the diffuser sticks in the container. It will take a while for the oil to travel up the sticks, so speed up the process by flipping the sticks after several hours.

Continue to flip the sticks every few days to refresh the scent.

My favorite scent combos:

The sky is the limit when it comes to all the essential oil combinations you can create for your reed diffuser! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Peppermint + Wild Orange
• Lavender + Lemon + Rosemary
• Cinnamon + Wild Orange
• Grapefruit + Lemon + Lime
• Lavender + Eucalyptus
• White Fir + Cypress
• Juniper Berry + Lavender
• Bergamot + Patchouli

Notes

• A container with a narrow-opening is preferred for this project since it will slow down evaporation. Another option would be to find a glass container with a cork, and drill holes in it for the reeds.
• Heavier oils, such as olive oil or jojoba oil, will take longer to travel up the reeds, so for quicker results, stick with lighter oils, like sweet almond.
• Some folks add a bit of alcohol (either rubbing alcohol or vodka) to their mixture to help speed up the process of the oil moving through the reeds. I haven’t done that personally, but I suppose it’d be worth a try.
• Once the reeds become completely saturated, you’ll need to replace them with new ones. And you’ll also need to replenish your oil supply eventually too–although that will depend on what type of essential oils, container, and carrier oil you are using.
• The scent coming from my reed diffuser is noticeable, but not overwhelmingly strong. For instances where I need a strong blast of scent or a purifying effect, I’ll be sticking with my regular cold-air diffusers. But this is a nice little “accent” diffuser–and it’d make a great gift!